Bengal DGP executes Supreme Court order delivering notice to Cal HC judge CS Karnan
17 March, Kolkata
West Bengal’s Director General of Police (DGP) Surajit Kar Purkayastha today handed over a Supreme Court’s notice issued against the sitting Calcutta High Court Judge Justice CS Karnan to appear before the apex court by March 31 in a contempt case.
The apex court on March 10 issued a bailable warrant against Calcutta High Court sitting judge, Justice CS Karnan, for alleged non-appearance in a contempt case, first of its kind in post-independence era in Indian judiciary system.
The DGP, accompanied with by his subordinate officials including top officer of Bidhannagar police commissionerate, had gone to Justice CS Karnan home in New Town today and delivered the Supreme Court order asking the judge to appear before March 31 in a contempt case.
Earlier Justice CS Karnan had said the apex court order to appear before it on March 31, was “unconstitutional”.
A 7-judge apex court bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar took strong note of Justice Karnan’s non-appearance, despite being served with the contempt notice and then asked the DGP of West Bengal to execute the warrants on the judge to ensure his presence at 1030 hours on March 31.
Earlier in February justice C S Karnan, who was charged with contempt of court by the Supreme Court, has defied the order by refusing to appear before the apex court. In previous hearing, the apex court had ordered Karnan to appear before it in person in connection with suo motu contempt proceedings.
But neither he nor his lawyer presented themselves before it. Contempt proceedings were initiated by the CJI J S Khehar-led bench against Justice Karnan after he continuously leveled allegations against the Madras high court chief justice and other judges. After Karnan failed to show up for the proceedings, Madras high court counsel K K Venugopal underscored the severity of the charges against Justice Karnan.
He said the Calcutta high court judge had leveled malicious rape charges against a Madras high court judge. Venugopal then told the Supreme Court that Madras high court judges need protection from Justice Karnan’s verbal abuse and wild charges.